Electrical connector



Oct. 27, 1964 H. C. WILL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May l5 1961 .9' iff/enfin Oct. 27, 1964 H. c. WILL.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1961 United States Patent O 3,154,363 ELECTRlCAL CONNECTR Herbert C. Will, 1016i) Clayton Road, Latine 24, Mo. Filed May 15, 1961, Ser. No. 109,868 3 Claims. (Cl. 339-99) This invention relates to electrical connectors adapted to quickly and easily effect a junction between an electrical current supply line and a service line, or between any two electrical lines having current carrying conductors embedded in insulation in parallel relation.

Heretofore it has been substantially universally practiced in making an electrical junction between a supply line and fa service or branch line to cut the conductors, make a splice therebetween and then apply insulation, all of which is time consuming and requires some training and skill. It has also been a practice heretofore in making certain types of connections from a supply line to a service line to provide a junction box having suitable knockouts in order to bring the lines into the interior of the box where they are spliced and reinsulated. All of the foregoing involves, cutting the conductors, stripping the insulation, and replacing insulation after the conductors have been joined.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a connector for electrical lines which is adapted to effect the junction by merely laying the lines in crossed position and then driving -a connector through the insulation so that the respective line conductors may be electrically associated.

It is a further object of `this invention to provide an inexpensive device which will guide the making of the electrical connection between two electrical lines and will permit electrical connection at any suitable place along either line or at Iany place where the lines may come together or cross.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which is arranged in a manner to prevent its misapplication and one which may be used by those who do not have any particular skill or detailed knowledge of electrical circuits.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent or will be pointed out during the course of the following description which is particularly related to certain preferred embodiments of the present invention which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a plan View of a portion of the electrical connector device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of another portion of the same electrical connector device;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken at line 3 3 in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken at line 4 4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view showing the mounting of the electrical connector portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the electrical line disposed in the body portion thereof;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective View of the electrical connector portions with the electrical lines assembled therein;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the electrical connector showing the same in its assembled position;

FIG. 9 is a greatly enlarged sectional elevational View taken at line 9 9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector provided with a protective cover;

FIG. 1l is a greatly enlarged perspective View of an electrical line having parallel conductors insulated from each other, the View showing the characteristic of the contact made in the conductors;

CFI

3,154,353 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 ice FIG. l2 is a top plan view with portions shown in broken section to illustrate a modified electrical connector;

FiG. 13 is a perspective View of la portion of the electrical connector shown in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a sectional elevational view seen at line 14 14 in FIG. 13.

Referring `to `the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1-8, it may be seen that the electrical connector is made up of two members which are insulated blocks 15 and 16 which are shown las square in plan view. Each block is provided with an electrical line receiving seat in the form of a longitudinally extending groove 17, and each groove is provided with an open face 17a and undercut portions 19 as is shown in FIG. 4. Furthermore, the block 16 forming `the base for the assembled electrical connector is provided with apertures 18 to receive mounting screws 2d which secure the block 16 on support S. The other insulated block 15 is provided with apertures 21 which receive. securing means which engage in apertures 22 in the lower block 16 to secure the two portions 15 and 16 in face to face assembly with the line seats adjacent. Suitable securing means, as at 23 in FIG. 8 is mounted in apertures 21 and 22 to hold the insulated blocks 15 and 16 in assembly.

As is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the blocks 15 and 16 are intended to support electrical lines in crossed and abutting relation. 'Ihus block 15 supports an electrical line A having parallel insulated conductors 24 and 25 therein, and insulated block 16 supports an electrical line B having parallel insulated conductors 26 and 27 therein. In order to insure the proper crossed relationship of the lines A and B means is provided to establish a one-way fit between the blocks. For example, block 15 is provided with a pair of projections 28, and the other block 16 is provided with matching recesses 29. It may be seen that the projections 28 and the recesses 29 are located on a diagonal which is perpendicular to a diagonal line joining the apertures 21 -and the diagonal joining the apertures 22 so that the electrical line receiving grooves 17 will be assuredly positioned in crossed relationship.

The electrical connector is further provided with means for effecting the electrical junction or connection of the conductors in the respective lines A and B. For this purpose, the insulated block 15 is provided with a pair of threaded inserts 30 arranged Iin spaced relation on the diagonal line joining the projections 28 (see FIG. 1), and each of the inserts is embedded in the block over the line receiving groove 17. Similarly, the insulated block portion 16 is provided with fa pair of inserts 31 which are located in the groove 17 in spaced relation along the diagonal line joining the recesses 29. When the block portions 15 and 16 are assembled as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 8 it will readily be apparent that the groove 17 in block 15 will be disposed in perpendicular relation to the groove 17 in block 16 by means of the mating fit between rthe several projections 28 and the recesses 29. Also, the inserts 319 in the block 15 will be positioned over and in axial alignment with the inserts 31 in the block 16. The inserts are suitably threaded to receive electrical contact elements 32 (FIG. 9) and by reason of the threading Aaction and the pointed ends are caused to be driven through the body of insulation 33 on the respective electrical lines A and B, and the lead end of each of the contact elements engages in and is secured by the threads in the inserts 31. The herein provided means 31) and 31 for mount-ing and drivingly securing the contact elements 32 prevents a defective electrical connection between electrical conductor 24 in line A with the electrical conductor 27 in line B and conductor 25 in line A with conductor 26 in line B (see FIG. 8).

Referring again to FIGS. 5 and 6 it can be seen that the form of the groove 1'7 with the undercut side recesses 19 and the somewhat restricted aperture 17a will effectively contain the body of the insulated conductor since the cross sectional shape of the groove 17 is formed to substantially completely be filled by the electrical line. Moreover, the restricted opening 17a for each groove 17 makes it necessary to insert the electrical line at an angle and to rotate the line as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, so that it Will be firmly held by the marginal undercut portions 19. The shape of the grooves 17 is intended to closely embrace the electrical` lines A and B so that there will be little or no chance for the conductors in these lines to spread or become displaced when inserting the contact elements 32. The nature of the contact effected by elements 32 and the relationship of the parts of the assembled electrical connector is shown to advantage in FIG. 9. It can therein be seen that one of the contact elements 32 makes an electrical connection between conductor 25 in line A and conductor 26 in line B, while the remaining contact elements 32 perform a similar function for conductors 24 and 27 in lines A and B respectively.

As is indicated in FIG. 9 Ithe head end of the contact elements 32 may be recessed below the upper surface of block so as to guard against exposure which might be reached by some contacting element or means to cause a short circuit. The recessed nature of the contact elements will provide a depression into which an insulating wax material may be deposited if it is desired to cover the exposed heads of these elements. Furthermore, as may be seen in FIG. 10, the assembled electrical connector blocks 15 and 16 may be enclosed in an insulating cover 34 which is provided in two opposite side walls elongated slots 35 and in the two opposite side walls with shorter slots 35. The longer slots 35 are intended to be lined up with electrical line A which is mounted in the groove 17 of the block 15 land the shorter slots 36 are lintended to be lined up with the electrical line B mounted in the groove 17 of block 16. The cover 34 may be held by a friction or snug fit on the blocks 15 arid 16 or a holding element may be inserted in a side wall at aperture 37 to engage in an aperture 38 in the block 16. Any suitable means sufcient to prevent accidental removal of the cover 34 can be utilized.

Attention is directed to FIG. 11 wherein electrical line B is shown greatly enlarged so that the respective conductors 26 and 27 therein may be made to illustrate the contact effected therewith by the threaded contact elements 32. It can be seen that a considerable surface 39 of conductor 26 is formed by the cutting action of the -threads on the contact element 32. A similar surface 39 is formed on the conductor 27.

In FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 it can be seen that the electrical connector heretofore described may be modified so that one of the block portions, as block 40 may be provided with a groove 41 which is open at one end but closed at the opposite end by a knockout web 42. The web 42 is suitably formed to be easily removed in the event it is desired that the electrical line C be continued through the block 40. FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate the further modification of block 40 wherein lfow ribs 43 may be formed in the gnoove 41 transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof to provide a grip on the electrical line C and thereby afford a greater holding action by indenting the insulation 33 so that axial pull will vnot cause the line .to move in the groove 41. The line D is likewise held in its block. It is of course understood that any of the modifications shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 may be incorporated in the electrical connector heretofore described in connection with other views of the accompanying drawings. It is pointed out that electrical lines C and D of FIG. 12 are independent conductors with the insulation on each as is common with single strand wire.

It is believed that the foregoing description will provide a full understanding of the present invention and that it will not be necessary to further elaborate on the characteristics thereof.V It is also believed that the description will be readily understood by persons not particularly skilled in the art of making electrical circuit connections, and that such persons, as well as those skilled in the art, may readily :adapt the same for use under a variety of service conditions. Of course, changes and modifications may come to mind or Will be suggested by the foregoing description and it is intended that all such changes and modifications are to be included within the scope and spirit of the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electrical connector device, the combination which includes, a first insulated electric line having a first pair of conductors and a second insulated line having a second pair of conductors, a mounting body having an area for retaining a portion of said first and second lines in juxtaposed relationship, said body having a pair of bores extending from entrance ends at the same side of the body into said body and through said retaining area for said first and second lines, each of said bores being arranged to align with a conductor in each of said first and second pairs of conductors, and a threaded contact element drivingly engaged in each bore and penetrating the juxtaposed insulated electric lines to engage a conductor in each of said first and second pairs of conductors and make an electrical circuit connection, each of said contact elements being straight and having substantially constant size threads cutting intimate electrical contact simultaneously with Ithe conductors engaged thereby to make a current flow path therebetween of uniform conductivity.

2. In an electrical connector device, the combination of a first pair of electrical conductors and a second pair of electrical conductors, a mounting body comprising a pair of separable blocks to :simultaneously support a portion of each of said first and second pairs of conductors in juxtaposed relation, each block having a pair of bores therein arranged in axial alignment with each other and forming a pair of similiar holes opening outwardly at the same side of said body, said blocks receiving said portions of the rst and second pairs of conductors and maintaining the same in juxtaposed relationship intercepting the holes, and a headed contact element threadedly movable in each hole and engaged in both of said pair of blocks, each contact element lforcibly penetrating the hole and cutting an intimate `contact with an electrical conductor in each pair, and each contact element being of uniform size and length to provide an electrical connection of uniform conductivity.

3. The electrical connector device set forth in claim 2, wherein internally threaded inserts are disposed in said pair of bores in each said block with said inserts in axially aligned relation being spaced lapart yto pass said pairs of conductors therebetween, certain of said inserts having closed ends to form the bottom of said holes, and a pair of bores in one of said blocks having recesses to receive the heads of said headed contact elements to electrically separate the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,110,513 Toelke Mar. 18, 1938 2,567,783 RichardsonY Sept. 1l, 1951 2,613,287 Geiger Oct. 7, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 585,180 Germany Ian. 16, 1934 691,802 Great Britain May 20, 1953 148,072 Australia Sept. 5, 1952 

1. IN AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVICE, THE COMBINATION WHICH INCLUDES, A FIRST INSULATED ELECTRIC LINE HAVING A FIRST PAIR OF CONDUCTORS AND A SECOND INSULATED LINE HAVING A SECOND PAIR OF CONDUCTORS, A MOUNTING BODY HAVING AN AREA FOR RETAINING A PORTION OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND LINES IN JUXTAPOSED RELATIONSHIP, SAID BODY HAVING A PAIR OF BORES EXTENDING FROM ENTRANCE ENDS AT THE SAME SIDE OF THE BODY INTO SAID BODY AND THROUGH SAID RETAINING AREA FOR SAID FIRST AND SECOND LINES, EACH OF SAID BORES BEING ARRANGED TO ALIGN WITH A CONDUCTOR IN EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF CONDUCTORS, AND A THREADED CONTACT ELEMENT DRIVINGLY ENGAGED IN EACH BORE AND PENETRATING THE JUXTAPOSED INSULATED ELECTRIC LINES TO ENGAGE A CONDUCTOR IN EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF CONDUCTORS AND MAKE AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONNECTION, EACH OF SAID CONTACT ELEMENTS BEING STRAIGHT AND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT SIZE THREADS CUTTING INTIMATE ELECTRICAL CONTACT SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE CONDUCTORS ENGAGED THEREBY TO MAKE A CURRENT FLOW PATH THEREBETWEEN OF UNIFORM CONDUCTIVITY. 